Book 12: Chapter 81
“Seeing as you’ve found out, I shall, wait, what?”
Hong Jiu: “What were you saying?”
“Nothing! Nothing! Hahaha, well done. Feel free to hit me a few more times, hahaha.”
It really was an accident on Hong Jiu’s part. The backwards blow was merely a part of chambering his strike before thrusting forward, which dragged the qi posterior to him and resulted in the bomb. Not everyone had the toughness to handle the misfortune destiny imposed on him, which begged the question: how tough were Mount Daluo’s disciples who spent years living with him? From the moment He Lan got involved with Hong Jiu, he was doomed to wound up hurt whether he succoured or not.
He Lan wobbled to his feet.
He Lan: My fortune reading said I was in for some serious bad luck today, but I didn’t believe it until now.
He Lan’s instructions were to apprehend Fiends’ Genesis’ intruders. Howbeit, he couldn’t team up with Drought Demon to kill Hong Jiu in public, or it would raise suspicion that they were in cahoots with Fiends’ Genesis. The attempted sneak attack was supposed to happen fast enough to fool other soldiers into conjuring erroneous theories.
After gasping several serves of blood, He Lan could finally speak comfortably. “I am rather fragile, so please… do not do that again.”
“You have my word,” promised Hong Jiu. “You still good?”
“Yeah.”
“All right, this time, you’re the vanguard. I’m spent.”
“…”
How the hell are you an orthodox sect disciple?! You want me to be the vanguard after smacking me that hard?! Fiends’ Genesis gave us false information! What happened to the few orthodox sects’ disciples we were supposed to help them capture?!
“It’s okay. You don’t have to thank me. Go, go. I’ll make sure nobody interrupts.”
He Lan smiled politely. “This one cannot even lift his leg right now.”
“How are we supposed to continue, then?” Drought Demon asked. “I thought you two wanted to punish evil.”
“I may not be able to fight, but I have my brothers. Brothers!”
He Lan’s left and right-hand men, a swordsman and a broadsword wielder, came over. Up until they were summoned, the two play fought with Fiends’ Genesis, so, when they saw the blood around He Lan’s mouth, they immediately thundered at Hong Jiu. “Since you already know, we’ll have t-”
“No, no, no!” He Lan virtually leaped out in between them and Hong Jiu; one might even mistake him for Hong Jiu’s servant.
Hong Jiu flicked up a thumb. “That’s some great qinggong. All right, he’s yours. I got your back.”
“No, no, no, that was just second wind. You guys fight,” responded He Lan.
“Where will you be going, then?”
“Since my legs are dead, I’ll have my men go buy a fake leg or something.”
“Okay, you rest up. Are you two going to fight alongside me?”
He Lan’s two lackeys looked to him to exchange an eye conversation, then rushed at Drought Demon. The two of them were inferior to He Lan, let alone Drought Demon, so their ability to hide their identities wasn’t great, either. In only a few exchanges, Nine-Lives Cat Fiend was heard shouting, “So you’re Hangzhou’s Hawk Broadswordman and Wolf Swordsman. Very impressive!”
Nine-Lives Cat Fiend easily discerned the duo struggled to dodge Drought Demon’s strikes. Therefore, she commented in order to create the impression that they were trying to overpower him with their internal energy.
Drought Demon suddenly dialled up his output, causing plants in the vicinity to wither. At the same time, his techniques looked considerably simplified. Besides demonstrating he could control his execution at will, his performance helped reinforce the “fact” that the duo’s attacks were forcing him into a state of desperation.
Rested, Hong Jiu exclaimed, “Please hold on. I’m coming!”
“What wishful thinking. Drought Demon, I’m coming to your aid!” Nine-Lives Cat Fiend intercepted Hong Jiu using a three-hit claw combo aimed at his neck.
The “three on two” tussle was so thrilling that the soldiers would’ve loved to join in if they weren’t levels beneath them. He Lan was the only person who knew Hong Jiu could have a sword or broadsword stuck in him at the first opportunity. As long as Drought Demon and Nine-Lives Cat Fiend helped out, Hong Jiu had no chance. In the miraculous scenario that he survived… He Lan cautiously crept closer to Hong Jiu.
As the fighters turned up the heat, He Lan’s henchmen increasingly struggled to the point that Nine-Lives Cat Fiend’s control on the fight began to wane.
Interrupting the spectacle, Master Qi came riding over in a horse carriage. “Hong Jiu, they ar-”
Drought Demon and Nine-Lives Cat Fiend: “Now!”
Simultaneously, the five attacked Hong Jiu. When they initiated their finishers, they felt an exterior force take control of their bodies, and then Hong Jiu disappeared. Drought Demon slammed his hand into the broadsword wielder’s abdomen. Nine-Lives Cat Fiend crushed the swordsman’s skull between her fingers. He Lan stabbed Drought Demon’s left arm. The sword and broadsword went into both of He Lan’s shoulders.
“Looking for me?” Hong Jiu touched Nine-Lives Cat Fiend in a perverted manner, then smashed them all backwards with a palm strike each.
Master Qi didn’t quite understand the situation, but she was glad Hong Jiu wasn’t killed, nevertheless. “This way! This way!”
Hong Jiu performed a double full, easily landing on the horse carriage and then crouched down. Master Qi brushed open the curtain to see him holding out a sheet of paper as well as a small square seal.
“Looking for these?”
“Eh?”
Hong Jiu stood up and yelled to He Lan, who was whimpering on the ground, “Brother He, we’ll go call for reinforcements. Brothers, the people here are scum of the martial world, criminals who harm the innocent. Show no clemency. I leave them to erupt into cheers.
Glossary
Full – This: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1008796756272175 Technically, this is a standing full, which would be the same as what Hong Jiu performed, except he did two rotations. If you enter the full via another setup, then it becomes “insert set-up name > full”.
